the great crossing
Type MH
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TAKE UP
THE CHALLENGE
TAKE UP
THE CHALLENGE
In the 1920s, crossing Africa - and thus the Sahara - remained a real technical feat. When Citroën chose off-road vehicles to achieve this feat, Renault decided to use a 3-axle vehicle with low-pressure pneumatic wheels. This was Renault Type MH, a derivative of Renault Type KZ, the standard model.
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:quality(80))
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spirit
DUELLING
IN THE SUN
DUELLING
IN THE SUN
On November 15, 1924, Renault embarked on its trip across Africa, leaving from Colomb-Béchar (in Algeria) with the aim of reaching Cape Town, South Africa. The previous day, Citroën had set off on the same journey. The two car makers were in competition on this 23,000 km race.
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interior
STEP ON
THE GAS
STEP ON
THE GAS
By choosing “classic” rather than off-road tyres, Renault wielded considerable advantage over the competition. And the reliability, speed and fuel consumption improved. In terms of engine, Renault Type MH was equipped with a 4-cylinder 2120 cc inline engine, achieving 10 hp. This engine, combined with the pneumatic wheels, allowed the vehicle to achieve a maximum speed of around 50 kph.
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original soundtrack
LISTEN TO
THIS PLAYLIST
LISTEN TO
THIS PLAYLIST
African beats and the harshness of the desert echo the sounds of Renault Type MH and its De Dion-Bouton engine.
archives
COMPROMISING
PHOTO
COMPROMISING
PHOTO
It so happened that the Renault and Citroën expeditions, in direct competition, met in the middle of the desert but no photograph of the encounter could be found... until the discovery a few years ago of a photo album for sale at a booth at a French collector vehicles show: while casually browsing through this photo album, the Renault Classic team was surprised to discover the “forbidden” photos of this historic meeting!
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style
FROM SIX
TO A DOZEN
FROM SIX
TO A DOZEN
A little anecdote for your next dinner party: With its 3 axles, Renault Type MH was dubbed the “6-wheeler”. In reality, Type MH had not 6 but 12 wheels! Each of its 3 axles had 2 twin wheels on each side.
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exploits
CHALLENGE MET
CHALLENGE MET
On 15 November, 1924, Renault Type MH began its African odyssey. The race started in Algeria, heading for South Africa. The Renault team reached Cape Town on 3 July, 1925, having passed the Citroën crew. It was an extraordinary feat of 23,000 km during which they crossed 35 rivers in dugout canoes and built or rebuilt 129 bridges.
technical features
4 CYLINDERS
INLINE
4 CYLINDERS
INLINE
- Performance and engine
4 cylinders inline
2120 cc - 10 HP
3-speed gearbox with 2-position reduction gear + reverse
around 50 kph
- dimensionsLength 4,28 mWidth 1,92 mHeight 2,35 m
- architecture
front engine, rear-wheel drive 2 rear-wheel drive axles
torpedo bodywork positioned on a separate chassis, equipped with 3 drive trains
The Originals Store
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ADVENTURE?
A THIRST FOR
ADVENTURE?
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